Basilar Migraine

[penny4543]

Just been diagnosed with Basilar migraine which I believe I have suffered with for over 30 years (was told by GP it was chronic vertigo). What are my chance of being able to work?

[teadrinker]

I can't answer your question properly as you don't say how bad your condition gets. I suffer from intermittent dizziness with migraines - but only sometimes, and only for short periods. I imagine that trying to work with severe vertigo would be very hard. I do go to work, and I have a family (which is sometimes harder than being at work). When I've had attacks at work I've just had to sit quietly until it's gone. Having an understanding boss helps, and I suspect, the fact that it doesn't happen that often.

I guess that you might need to talk to someone in the business of helping people find work about what would be suitable for you. Or could you find work that you do at home, with very flexible hours?

I hope that now you've got a diagnosis you will get appropriate treatment and that your migraines become more manageable. Good luck.

[penny4543 in reply to teadrinker]

Hi Teadrinker.

My symtoms have ranged from blacking out for up to 2 minutes to more recently an aura appearing in my eye. Then I need to get to bed where I am violently sick, coupled with a pounding headache in both temples. After being sick the pounding slowly subsides to the point where all I want to do is sleep. I have been prescribed Sumatriptan to see if they help. If they don't then there is another tablet I can try. After having these headaches on & off for the last 50 years I'm scepticle as to whether medication will be of any help.

[teadrinker]

I see what a problem this is for you now. I tried sumatriptan - and then naratriptan. They did sometimes delay the worse bits of the migraine, but I decided to stop taking them as you really need to take them as soon as the first symptoms start, and quite often I will see flashing lights but not get anything else, so it seemed a bit pointless taking tablets for something that might not happen. Also felt that with a really bad migraine it was all going to kick off anyway and I have learnt that I just have to let it burn itself out or it will go on for days.

But the triptans were useful for me in buying myself a bit of time - I was, for example, able to postpone a migraine by several hours to go to a big social event, and that was worth it. Other people I know have taken sumatriptan and say that if they take it quickly the migraine goes away quickly, so I hope that happens for you.

I am now on the botox, by the way, but sometimes succumb to old fashioned migraleve and ibuprofen.

[Clumsyclot]

Hi, I am also diagnosed Basilar Migraine, and was told to stay away from triptans, as they can cause more TIA/mini strokes, very dangerous for us, but helpful to normal migraines, beware, I have tried everything out there over 7 years, but with Migraines it's so difficult to say if something is working or you are just haviing a normal natural migraine break. I have still always worked even though I was told I would probably not be able to work again, You just have to try and keep things as normal as poss, it is very hard to manage, you are not alone.